Rants and musings about things political, philosophical, and religious.

An Open Letter to Apathetic Americans on Behalf of Ron Paul

There are many characteristics that bind us as a people, but in recent years I have seen one rise dramatically in prevalence: apathy. Faced by numerous problems of vast import on local, state, and national levels, we prefer to give in and give up. Rather than fighting for an ideal, we “go along to get along”.

As government has grown in size, an individual’s influence decreases. Those who do write their representatives are answered by form letters drafted by secretaries. Those who wish to jump into the fray and get involved are bewildered by how many problems exist and how little they can do to effect change.

In our generation, we’ve been taught a few key principles that have engendered a continued sense of apathy and enlarged the disconnect between politicians and their constituents. Let’s review a few of the more notable ones:

Vote for the lesser of two evils.

Party loyalty has taken the place of American patriotism. Eager to implement the party’s agenda throughout the nation, voters are encouraged to vote for their party’s candidate, regardless of any apparent problems he (or she) may have. Surely we must not throw away our vote on a third party candidate or a write-in! We don’t want the other guy to win, do we?

And so, we are counseled to cast our vote along party lines, regardless of which candidate is anointed by the delegates to represent them. What’s that, you say? You disagree with most of the candidate’s platform? Well, that doesn’t matter… Better him than the other party’s candidate, right?

One person can’t make a difference.

You’re only one person among millions—what difference could you possibly make? With the electoral college determining the actual vote, your vote doesn’t matter much. So why vote? Why get involved?

The role of the individual is frequently minimized in our media-saturated culture. Rarely will you hear inspiring stories on the news about the impact a “normal citizen” has made. Unless you’re rich or famous, you’re led to believe that you have no role to play with “the big boys”.

You’ve got better things to worry about than politics.

Seriously, who wants to follow the news and think about politics all day? And it moves so quickly that you can’t just casually be updated once in a while. So why bother? You’ve got bills to pay, meetings to attend, and sports games to watch.

It seems that we’ve all been taught to leave politics to the politicians. We’ve outsourced “we the people” to “they the legislators”, trusting that they will do no wrong.

A cure for our apathy

The best solution for curing apathy is often a situation that offers hope, an avenue to make one’s voice heard, and an opportunity to participate. That solution is offered by Dr. Ron Paul, Republican presidential candidate.

Many of Paul’s supporters are themselves once-apathetic individuals who have never voted in a presidential election. Demystified by the corruption and self-serving in Washington, these people had long since given up on participatory politics. But then they found Ron Paul, and have latched onto a very unique opportunity at fighting for the Constitution, for liberty, and for small government.

The cure for apathy is not top-down instruction from some so-called leader, instructing his followers on what to do and how to do it. This creates nothing more than brainless peons. No, the real cure for apathy is speaking truth to power, inspiring the masses, and giving them the ability to innovate and participate.

Ron Paul, a doctor by profession, is today’s cure for political apathy. A simple list of his accomplishments and notables shows how he stands out from the crowd. And unlike practical politicians that change their tune with every shift in the wind, Paul is consistent, saying the same thing today as he did thirty years ago.

He can cure your apathy, too. Don’t believe me? Set aside an hour to watch this video, and you’ll find yourself inspired, motivated, and amazed that principled politicians are not yet an extinct species. Even if you disagree with some of his views, you can’t help but respect a man who is consistent and devoted to principle.

I support Ron Paul 100%. But, even then, it is not enough. I always see IMPEACH BUSH stickers. We need to impeach most of Congress for goodness sakes! With or without Ron Paul, the bulk of responsibility lays with We The People. Luckily enough our country was built by men sent by God. Becuase to have a group of men (the Founding Fathers) at one time in one country is never an accident. Yet they came and they left, and no one passed the baton to someone to carry over into our generation. Ron Paul will come, and he will go. The only ones left will be you, me, and the rest of the bloody world. Ron Paul gave us hope to what any ONE person can do. May that hope never die with the few, the proud, not the Marines, the ordinary people like you and me. Long live the Republic.

About the Author

Connor Boyack is president of Libertas Institute, a public policy think tank in Utah. He is the author of several books along with hundreds of columns and articles championing individual liberty. Connor's work has been publicly praised by national figures such as Ron Paul, Judge Andrew Napolitano, Tom Woods, and many others.

A child’s curiosity and natural desire to learn are like a tiny flame, easily extinguished unless it’s protected and given fuel. This book will help you as a parent both protect that flame of curiosity and supply it with the fuel necessary to make it burn bright throughout your child’s life. Let’s ignite our children’s natural love of learning!

What do history's most notorious despots have in common with many of the flag-waving, patriotic politicians of our day? Both groups rise to power through the exploitation of fear, which has become a societal plague. There have been widespread casualties. We need an antidote. Feardom offers its readers a much-needed immunization.

History abounds with examples of government officials making decisions, well-intentioned or otherwise, that harm others. Unfortunately, these unintended consequences are never anticipated, and rarely considered once they occur. As the Tuttle Twins find in their latest adventure, central planning can ruin people’s lives.

The oldest economic battle in history repeats itself in the fourth Tuttle Twins book. Ethan and Emily witness this battle firsthand as they help their food truck friends win public support to overturn the protectionist laws that shut them down.

The third installment in the Tuttle Twins series finds Ethan and Emily confronting a scary creature that somehow controls money and markets. Your children will learn about money, inflation, banking, and other important monetary concepts in an exciting story, beautifully illustrated.

In their second adventure, Ethan and Emily Tuttle go on a field trip to a fun factory where they learn how something as simple as a pencil is in fact a miracle—and one that nobody knows how to make! Your children will learn about the free market, why division of labor makes our lives better, and how spontaneous order is the key to human progress and happiness!

Help your children learn about the proper role of government with this engaging book full of detailed, colorful illustrations! Ethan and Emily Tuttle learn from their wise neighbor Fred about the law, what our rights are and why we have them, and how we should voluntarily help those in need!

A fundamental aspect of the good news of the gospel is the message of liberty. As President Joseph F. Smith said, “The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of freedom; the gospel of the Son of God is the gospel of liberty.” Men of God, both ancient and modern, have spoken on this issue repeatedly. This book analyzes what liberty is and how it applies to government.

Liberty is a fundamental and eternal principle, but it cannot exist without its counterpart—personal responsibility. From self-defense and self-reliance, to faith, family, and financial freedom, this book pinpoints precise actions needed from each of us if liberty is to successfully be preserved.

This book is a compilation of essays written over the years, organized topically. At 610 pages, it's great for reference material if you're debating something with a friend and want to look up some arguments that you can use to support your pro-liberty positions.

Reviews

"An amazing book"—Ron Paul on Latter-day Liberty

"Clear, compelling, full of faith"—Judge Andrew Napolitano on Latter-day Responsibility

"Sophisticated and compelling"—Tom Woods on Feardom

Significant discounts available for bulk orders of 20 or more. Contact me for information.